Weddings in the Roma community: a cultural keystone

Analysis of the family and marital union as a connective network

by Nicòl De Giosa

The family is the heart of society, the vital organ that develops the basic structure of relationships.

For the Roma community, the family is the heart of society, the vital organ that develops the basic structure of relationships and socioeconomic organizations. The Roma community differs from the mass (individualist) community, in which the value of kinship as a connective network fades, as interpersonal relationships and descent are the focus of people’s lives. In this context, the marriage ritual becomes the central institution of social organization: marriage establishes close alliances between groups of different descents and is the only cell capable of transmitting ancient traditions. The family, therefore, becomes the main source of transmission and cultural preservation. During the wedding ritual, the Roma community witnesses the formation of a new family unit, which plays an essential function within the relationships between the different groups and the life of the individual.

Ancient traditions may have undergone a process of metamorphosis over the years

Some traditions, over the years, may have undergone a process of metamorphosis, of change; one of the factors that fosters groups of Roma communities to transform ancient beliefs and customs is their proximity to the dominant culture, in the center of the metropolitan areas in which they have settled. In this regard, it is possible to observe that the Roma communities marginalized in the most peripheral areas, are physically and metaphorically distant from the cities and anchored to the old traditions, such as promising a girl in marriage at the age of thirteen. In Roma society that has been influenced by modernization, on the other hand, marriage takes place when the bride and groom reach the age of seventeen or twenty. It’s also important to note that Roma communities have faced discrimination and marginalization in various parts of the world. This impacted their ability to practice their cultural traditions freely, including their wedding customs: efforts to preserve and celebrate these traditions are important for Roma cultural preservation.

The marriage in Roma community is a decisive moment for the evolution of the internal balance of the community

The social value of marriage is determined by the passage of the bride into the man’s family, a decisive moment for the evolution of the structure of the internal balance of the same community. Based on this we can infer that the family structure of the Roma is organized starting from a patrilineal, male-dominated system, as the woman after marriage becomes part of the husband’s lineage. Following this social bond, the bride will forever be interconnected with the members of that particular group by daily relationships, whether they are domestic or economic. The Roma marital union, especially in those communities that decide to observe the ancient traditions, is mainly endogamous, that is, it takes place between groups of families that are already in a relationship of mutual trust or common descent. However, the endogamous tradition of the Roma community is becoming less and less important every day and is gradually being replaced by exogamous marriage, that is, with a member of Roma ethnicity or a “gagè” (a word that means in the Romani language a non-Roma person) without this, however, being the cause of social or moral conflicts. The wedding ceremony can last for days and is characterized by a lavish party and a large banquet accompanied by singing and music. The proof that will determine the marital union is the chastity of the bride, therefore the demonstration of the woman’s virginity becomes the main moment of the ceremony. The chastity of the bride represents for the Roma family a great honor and prestige and, according to their values, is the demonstration of the good education that fathers have imparted to their daughters, becoming worthy of the respect of the husband and his family.

Family relationships weave a network that consolidates social connection in Roma community

The Roma community’s deep-rooted sense of family and group identity, plays a pivotal role in shaping their worldview. Within this community, the concept of an individual exists in close connection with the family and the larger group. In fact, inter- and intra-family relationships form an intricate network that not only strengthens social cohesion but also expands through the bonds forged by marital alliances. The perpetuation of Roma culture undeniably owes much of its resilience to the unifying power of the family and the institution of marriage. These familial connections reach beyond immediate relatives, extending to create a vast network of solidarity among different families. These close alliances serve as a cornerstone for the effective development of social, economic, and political relationships within the community. This intricate tapestry of interconnected families, not only fosters cultural preservation but, also, fuels the thriving life of the Roma community across various aspects of society.